San Francisco Bay Area

[Johnny94066]

Hello,
I just got my spark a couple of months ago and I'm looking for a good place on the Peninsula to really improve my flying skills. I would like a large wide open area that I can improve my skills. I'm surrounded by airports and parks that don't allow flying. So I'm open to any suggestions from other pilots.
-John

Cordy's Corner - My youtube channel

 

[Chuck Halfacre]

I no it's kind of far but come out to las Vegas. Out where I'm at you can fly pretty much any way you want an no one bother's you. There is a private airport out here but it's about a mile away they fly at any altitude once they get below the mountains.. About a month or so after I got my drone I'm flying around 300ft I knew where my drone was at and this airplane come's flying just a little to the side of my drone but below it, I'm waving an orange towel in the air in one hand and my middle finger in the other hand... I've never seen that airplane around here before nor have I seen others fly that low over me.. But out here in the desert home's are or mobile home's are on 5 to 10 acre lots some of those lot's may have another 10 or 20 acre lot's between them that's why I get away with flying like I do. But I also have RC trucks RC airplane's that I or my grandkids mess with a long with people ride there motorcycles quads on the street's and I have not seen any of them bothered by the police. There is so much opened land the people can come out with there motorhomes an park out in the desert an fly tell your arm's hurt. I have 5 battery's so as each battery get's used and drained I put it on the charger and keep flying tell I run out. Your other option is between Interstate 5 and the 99 fry there is all that open farm land going to Sacramento? I do remember when I was driven truck in Reno Nv. Some time's I would take a load to the bay and I remember seeing open land away from all the Airports but I just can not think of them. They where more inland I'm thinking out by the ship yards? But there are some places just depends on how much time do you have and how much do you want to fly? Me I have to much time on my hands and nothing to do but fly my drone so I'm not sure if that's good or bad? My two cents Take care an if you need help let me no!

 

[AnthonyR0]

Hey John,

Congratulations on getting a Spark! In the Bay Area, from what I've done some homework on is that there's two legal places to fly drones--
1) Baylands Park in Sunnyvale
2) Treasure Island in San Francisco
3) Another one somewhere in Berkeley

There are regular meetups (see meetup.com) that a few folks coordinate for the above locations, one is called "Drones in the Bay" where folks head over to these locations to fly.

Hope this helps!

 

[webvan]

Isn't Baylands super close to the PA airport ? Is there a dedicated area over there now where you can fly ?
There used to be a special flying area in San Antonio Park for helicopters and planes but maybe drones aren't allowed.
You can probably fly by the Bay in the Redwood City area too

 

[Infotraker]

Isn't Baylands super close to the PA airport ? Is there a dedicated area over there now where you can fly ?
There used to be a special flying area in San Antonio Park for helicopters and planes but maybe drones aren't allowed.
You can probably fly by the Bay in the Redwood City area too

 

[Infotraker]

I think that was the park I went to, large grass area. There were drones flying there a year ago.

 

[Speedmeister]

Current Fly Safe Database imposes a flight altitude of 60 meters at Bayland Park in Sunnyvale. Parking is free during off season otherwise it is $6 paid at gate entrance.

 

[Danny.Mejia]

Got a Spark not too long ago and noticed how little we can fly in the south bay fast. All Santa Clara County parks are off limits. East Bay Regional parks are off limits. CA state parks in Santa Cruz, San Mateo counties all off limits. CA state parks are generally OK but the counties restricted them. That leaves city parks but... San Jose, Santa Clara parks off limits. You add that to the airport space and this leaves you nothing. Honestly the only place I've found so far is Baylands Park run by the city of Sunnyvale. If anyone has some good suggestions please let me know.

 

[Spark 317]

Got a Spark not too long ago and noticed how little we can fly in the south bay fast. All Santa Clara County parks are off limits. East Bay Regional parks are off limits. CA state parks in Santa Cruz, San Mateo counties all off limits. CA state parks are generally OK but the counties restricted them. That leaves city parks but... San Jose, Santa Clara parks off limits. You add that to the airport space and this leaves you nothing. Honestly the only place I've found so far is Baylands Park run by the city of Sunnyvale. If anyone has some good suggestions please let me know.

Hello from the Hoosier Heartland, Danny.Mejia.

If you don't have it already, get the AIRMAP app and it may help you find a suitable location for a safe flight in a clustered area.

? Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Danny.Mejia]

That's was my first start but they only show FAA restricted areas. That doesn't include state, county, and city rules. If your flying with just that in these areas your probably in the wrong. I'm starting to think its there just to make sure they can bust you if something goes wrong. They also probably don't want hundreds of drones flying around large cities. I do keep reading that takeoff and landing from these parks is whats off limits. If you do this outside the park and fly in that may be a different story. FAA controls the sky and allows flight over these of course but its splitting hairs at this point.

 

[Chuck Halfacre]

That is total bull ****! So what I would do just to piss them off is get two remotes for the same drone stay about a 1/4 to a half mile apart an just fly your drone then if the police come up to you to say there is no flying of drones there make it so you can be in touch with each other, but when the cop come's up to you just tell him Oh that's not me flying I pretend that I'm flying just for the practice an at the same time your other remote starts moving the drone? If you get what I'm saying? Would be one hell of a joke on the police but they could not do anything about it either... I know there are a lot of pervert's and Child Predator's in Calf. I would say because of them it would take the blame off the city an county park's from getting sued that would be the only reason why they would do that! But if that's the case then make a law that they are not aloud to own a drone! just like a gun but you see how that work's the bad guy's just go and steal them... It suck's we can still fly RC airplane's an Helicopter's with out all the Bull Crap so why the Drone's? I no why but it just don't matter.....Remember my spelling don't count and if you like my Idea hit that thumb's up or down... PEACE! Happy flying.

 

[Danny.Mejia]

Multiple controllers would be funny. Maybe have a second pilot catch it at another planned location . Did I mention there's National Parks and wild life preserves also covering most of the SF coast. Beautiful area almost completely off limits. Most of it covers only the ocean and shore meaning you can fly close to the shore but not on it or over the ocean in some cases, as seen on these flight maps AIRMAP or DJI 4GO. Once on land Santa Cruz and San Mateo county bans cover that. I need to start hiking or driving to less populated areas to get away from these rules. I would love to take photos around home with the family but that doesn't look like its going to happen without breaking rules or getting a 107 cert and permits.

 

[Chuck Halfacre]

It's really sad that city's are putting up no drone flying at parks partly because of law suites! But there are ways you can fly where you want to take picture's set in a car or motorhome's you get the point but when you go to take picture's look around where if the police do come up to you? You will have a safe place to land it an recover it. And in the event the police do come up to you have that 2nd controller with someone to move your drone also to keep you and all money's tied up into the drone sport safe. I just know what I'll do if I want to fly at a park that says no drones! It's total bull **** what the united states is cracking down on us for! I do understand also because what people in other country's are doing with drone's by hooking bomb's to them then flying into crowds of people just to make a statement along with the pervert's and Child Predator's so that hurt's all of us that like to just fly an have fun.. With that they can still do it with RC airplane's an Helicopter's so why no ban on those? I'm sure in time a ban will be put on those that's why I love NV I carry a gun all the time I have no issues with police coming up to me I can walk into a store or almost any place for that with out them thinking I'm there to rob them... I understand in Calf with how high the crime rate is I would not be able to do what I do here.. Maybe in time the law will change and the same with flying drones but right now there are no issues other then by airport's and with those law's I would not even cross just look at what was it Britain that shut there airport down and never found the people or if it was even a drone that's how government's get laws passed real fast by maken thing's like that up. Maybe it was real I have never heard any more about it? You take care an see you on the flip...As I say spelling don't count and hit the thumbs up or down! PEACE!

 

[The Editor]

Hello,
I just got my spark a couple of months ago and I'm looking for a good place on the Peninsula to really improve my flying skills. I would like a large wide open area that I can improve my skills. I'm surrounded by airports and parks that don't allow flying. So I'm open to any suggestions from other pilots.
-John

Cordy's Corner - My youtube channel

The 5 Best Places to Fly a Drone in San Francisco (2025) | UAV Coach

A guide to where to fly a drone in San Francisco. See the best places to fly a drone in San Francisco and learn where it's legal or illegal to fly a drone.

uavcoach.com